contrary to his perfect nature; nor can he recal past events, which is manifestly impossible (n). When, therefore, we say that the power of God is infinite, we mean that God is able to perform all things, which do not imply in themselves contradiction or impossibility. The WISDOM of God is inferred from the general construction and government of the world, in which an attentive observer cannot but see evident marks of design, and in which all things are admirably adapted to their respective ends and purposes: “O Lord, how manifold are thy works; in wisdom thou hast made them all (o)." We cannot form an idea of wisdom superior to that which is thus displayed; nor can we conceive how the wisdom, or any other attribute of the Deity, should be circumscribed by any boundary or limit; and therefore we conclude with the royal psalmist, that "the wisdom of God is infinite (p)." The INFINITE WISDOM of God may also be considered, as including the knowledge of all events, past, present, and future, and of the thoughts, motives, and intentions of all his creatures. This (n) More yap ἀντε και Θεος σερίζεται, ̓Αγενητα ποιειν ὅσο ̓ ἂν ᾖ πεπραγμενα. knowledge, Agatho apud Aristot. (0) Ps. 104. v. 24. (p) Ps. 147. v. 5 knowledge, without restriction or exception, seems necessarily to belong to the Creator of the Universe, from whom every power, property, and "Known unto God are all relation is derived: his works from the beginning of the world (q). -"He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? he that teacheth men knowledge, shall not he know (r)?"-"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked, and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (s)."-" The Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts (t)."-"The Lord is a God of knowledge (u)."-" O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of ·God (2)!” BY INFINITE GOODNESS is meant a disposition to communicate every possible degree of happiness to all created beings, of which their nature is capable. That this attribute belongs to God is evident from his general government of the world, and particularly from his dealings with mankind. It has pleased God to place men in a (q) Acts, c. 15. v. 18. state (r) Ps. 94. v. 9 and 10. state of probation, and to endue them with free agency, which is essential to responsibility; he has furnished them with the means of attaining every degree of happiness consistent with the character of free and accountable beings; he has given them laws as rules of their conduct; he has proposed the most powerful and animating motives to obedience; and he has promised his assistance to those who sincerely endeavour to perform his will. Since then every thing which God has made is good; since he has provided for the preservation of all things, for their proper continuance and well-being; since he has bestowed many noble endowments, and a great variety of comforts and blessings, upon his rational creatures in this world; and since he has voluntarily and upon easy conditions, offered them everlasting happiness in a future life, to which no human merit could have the remotest claim, surely we may pronounce that the goodness of God is infinite, "boundless as his universal works, and endless as the ages of eternity (y).""The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works (z)."-" O give thanks "O unto the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever (a)." (y) Clarke, vol. 1. Sermon 14. (a) Ps. 136. v.1. Upon Upon these grounds we believe that God is OF INFINITE POWER, WISDOM, AND GOODNESS. As the world could not have existed from: eternity, or have caused its own existence, it must have derived its being from God; and that God was the MAKER OF ALL THINGS BOTH VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE, is repeatedly asserted in Scripture: "In six days the Lord made heaven and earth (b)."-" In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is (c)."-" Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created (d)."—" By him were all things related that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible (e):"-God, having created all things, continues to preserve them in a state suitable to the purposes for which they were designed, and by his superintending providence constantly governs the universe he created. Nothing can happen without the direction or permission of that Being who is the source of all power; he appointed and supports the general course of nature; and he interrupts it by his particular interposition, whenever it seems good to his infinite wisdom: "God giveth to all, life, and (b) Ex. c. 21. v. 17. (d) Rev. c. 4. v. 11. (c) Ex. c. 20. v. 11. and breath, and all things (f)."-" He is before all things, and by him all things consist (g).""How could any thing have endured, if it had not been thy will; or been preserved, if not called by thee (h)?"-Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all the host; the earth, and all things that are therein; the sea, and all that is therein; and thou preservest them all (i)."-" Where," says bishop Pearson," the continued conservation of the creatures is in equal latitude attributed unto God with their first production; because there is an absolute necessity of preserving us from returning unto nothing by annihilation, as there was for first bestowing an existence on us by creation. God doth sustain, uphold, and constantly preserve all things in their being which they have (k)."Thus God is not only THE MAKER, but also THE PRESERVER OF ALL THINGS BOTH VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. We now come to the latter part of this article, in which the gospel doctrine of the Trinity, or of three persons (1) in the Divine Essence, is asserted. (f) Acts, c. 17. v. 25. That (g) Col. c. 1. v. 17 (i) Neh. c. 9. v. 6. (1) Tertullian, the oldest Latin father extant, uses the word Persona as applied to the Trinity. The word used by the Greek fathers is υποστασις and πρόσωπον, |